September Favorites

Another month has gone by, and therefore another favorites must be posted. It's been an exhausting past couple of weeks with sorority recruitment, exams, and serious sniffles. October is probably my favorite month, with Halloween and medium temperatures (is it just me or has September been way too hot to handle?). As always, I have been trying out and loving many new products, so here's the best of the bunch.

1. Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Palette, First Love Cheek & Pop Blush, and Color Chameleon Eyeshadow Palette in Amethyst Aphrodisiac. I had a whole post dedicated to how much I love the Charlotte Tilbury line (see here), so I won't harp on it too much. I've since bought a few more items because I cannot resist (there may be a part two review at some point soon), but these are the three items I've been particularly loving. 

2. It Brushes for Ulta Airbrush Foundation Brush. I'm a big fan of using kabuki brushes to apply foundation, as I find they give me the best finish, and this one is a standout. The whole line appears great, although I only have this one, and they are much more affordable than the Sephora brushes. I like the longer handle and it's synthetic so it doesn't shed.
3. Bobbi Brown Skin Weightless Powder Foundation in Sand. Powders have a tendency to cake on me, but not this one. It does feel really weightless and I like using it to set my foundation. It is a lighter coverage, so I wouldn't necessarily wear it just on it's own, but is great for touch ups.
4. Laura Mercier Radiance Foundation Primer. Again, raved about this in an earlier post (I have a tendency of doing that), but I've been using it a lot and really love the glow it gives me underneath makeup.
5. Stila Mile High Mascara. Not going to lie--I'm not the biggest fan of the Stila brand. For some reason, their products just don't sit well with me. I'm not sure what possessed me to pick up this mascara but I'm glad I did! It's great at giving both length and volume and doesn't clump. Sometimes I feel like it doesn't have enough oomph so I use another mascara on top.
6. Dior Addict Lipstick in Model. It's in my favorite color-- a sheer pink that's MLBB. Viviannadoesmakeup raves about this and it's an easy color to slap on without a mirror when you're in a rush to add something extra to your look.
7. Bourjois Bronzing and Highlighting Duo. This seemed like a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow, so I was interested. The bronzer is slightly more orangey but still great for contouring. The highlight performs almost as well as the Charlotte Tilbury one and although there's less product in this, it's way less expensive.

Books: Kill You Twice by Chelsea Cain, In Real Life by Nev Schulman, Five Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer

Music: Sleep Alone (Live Version) by Two Door Cinema Club, Mushaboom by Feist, Ooh La La by The Faces, Stubborn Love by The Lumineers

What have you been loving this week? Let me know!

Book Review: Five Days Left

As always, I've been reading a lot of books but haven't had one in a while that really sat with me. Then Five Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer entered the scene and I was blown away. I didn't expect this book to be that good but it really was. It's an alternating perspective novel (which you should know I love) but the characters don't really interact with each other.

 The dominant story line is narrated by Mara, a middle-aged mom who suffers from Huntington's disease. The other main character is Scott, a man who has been a temporary guardian for a boy he's grown to love for the past few years. Although there are many flashbacks and narrations of the past, the novel takes place in the last five days for both Mara and Scott. For Mara, these are the last five days she wants to be alive. Huntington's disease will slowly kill her, but she has decided it's best if she ends her life while she can still maintain some dignity. Scott is experiencing the last five days he has custody of Curtis, a little boy who he had temporary guardianship of and formed an unexpected bond with. Both characters occasionally interact on a chat forum but have separate story lines besides that.

Mara's story was extremely heartbreaking. Not to say that Scott's wasn't, because it was very touching, but reading about Mara's slow decline was very moving. I had a vague idea about Huntington's disease, but to read of how a prestigious lawyer with a small child and handsome husband slowly loses control of her bodily functions, even wetting herself in a grocery store, was heartbreaking. What's so great about this novel, and the dual perspectives, is that Scott finds love by holding on to Curtis, and Mara shows her ultimate love to her family by ending her life instead of them watching her decline.

It's a sad novel, but ends with the idea of hope. I really recommend it and give it 5/5. Have you read any books lately that you've been loving?

Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pens

I constantly rave about the Marc Jacobs eyeliners, which are my favorite high-end ones, but the Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pens are a close second. They're significantly cheaper, which is a huge plus, and just as pigmented. This was my first venture into the brand, and I also picked up an illuminating primer a while back at Target which I also like. Recently I've been trying out the liquid liner which lasts all day and is great for creating small fine lines.

From just one swipe, you can see they are even creamier and pigment than the Marc Jacobs one. Because they're so silky, they can be prone to smudging/wearing off, but that is true of any eyeliner (plus I'm always rubbing my eyes). Deep Plum is just what the name suggests, a rich matte purple. Copper Glow is a shimmery light reddish brown. Black Tulip is probably my favorite, because it's a darker purple that leans more towards black but still isn't quite dramatic. Of course I have the classic Black Noir as well as Glimmery Black which has some subtle shimmer.

There's a great value set with 6 different mini pens and a sharpener. If you want to try these out and get a bunch of different colors, go for it (the entire set costs less than one Marc Jacobs pen FYI). I've been crazy busy with recruitment last week and a bunch of exams this week, so I will try my best to get three posts a week out on the blog but it might be more like two. There will definitely be a September favorites next week as those are my favorites.

What's your favorite long-wearing, pigmented eyeliner? Let me know!

Favorite Fall Scents

I love fall. It's easily my favorite season with crisp temps (but not so crisp that I have to break out the ol' Eddie Bauer down jacket), the foliage is beautiful, etc. etc. Normally I love sweet and girly scents but in the past year, I've been trying some slightly more sophisticated scents. Here are my four favorites, although I do end up wearing them throughout the entire year.

1. Prada Candy. So this is definitely sweeter/girlier than the other scents, but still has a sophisticated element to it. Caramel and white musk are the main notes in the fragrance and it's described as "carefree, sophisticated, sensual" (I mean don't we all want to be that?). Packaging is always a must for me, and the cool pump on top adds to this fun bottle. A little goes a long way.

2. Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede. I just got this in June and I don't know how I lived without it. It's such a unique scent and my favorite perfume. It has the sweetness of apple, peony, and rose but then becomes more unique with the slight addition of musk. It's incredibly expensive, which is why I went for a smaller bottle, but this will most certainly be a repurchase.

3. See by Chloe. Fleur DeForce , Essiebutton, and Amelia Liana all bought this perfume together so I figured I would love it since all of their recommendations are spot on. Again, this is different from what I normally wear but it was still love at first sniff hehe. It has notes of jasmine, vanilla, and musk and is described as "graceful, feminine, spontaneous" (notice a trend?).

4. YSL Manifesto. Fun fact: this was featured in my first ever Her Campus monthly beauty favorites back in December (before I had this blog) and was my first adventure into more sophisticated scents. Again, it has notes of jasmine and vanilla but is a bit more sensual than See by Chloe. It has great lasting powder so again, a little goes a long way.

I managed to squeeze in seeing This Is Where I Leave You this weekend between the many hours of recruitment. I had high hopes and it did not disappoint. My only complaint was that there was minimal focus on the flashbacks/pasts of the characters, but that is much harder to translate on screen so I understand the directorial choices. 

Brand Focus: Marc Jacobs Cosmetics

I'm a fan of designer makeup, but often find that brands can be inconsistent or not be worth the hefty price tag. That all changed with the Marc Jacobs brand. I bought my first item, the Lolita Palette, last fall and then quickly scooped up the rest of this starting in late spring. I used mostly giftcards/return credit for these, so no I did not spend this much of my real money. Here's what I own from the line. I purchased everything from Sephora but you can also buy directly from Marc Jacobs Beauty.

Lolita Palette. Besides the Naked palettes, this was one of my first splurge eyeshadow palettes. It has shimmers, mattes, and sheen finishes, so there's a good variety. It's incredibly slim and sleek. I do have some fallout issues with the middle glitter shade but that's my only complaint.

Highliner Gel Eye Crayon (Blackquer, Overt, Plumage, Obey-ge, Rococoa, Brownout). I've raved about these in many posts, but these are probably the best eyeliners out on the market. Creamy, smudge-proof, pigmented, and self-sharpening. What more could you want?

Genius Gel Foundation in Bisque Light. This is just a good liquid foundation. It's light to medium coverage, has a pump, and has pretty good lasting powder. It's in between a dewy and matte finish, just great for everyday.

Remedy Concealer Pen in Shade 2. This is kind of like YSL Touche Eclat, except it works more for coverage and less for highlighting. I like the metal tip as it feels nice and cooling while providing decent coverage.

Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl in Studded Kiss and Lust for Life. I bought these last December and, although they are nice lip glosses, they aren't worth the hefty price tag. I like the shimmery color that doesn't look tacky, and it's the only plumping formula I've found that doesn't seem to irritate me.

Marvelous Mousse Foundation in Bisque Light. The formula is kind of like what you get in a stick foundation (think Bobbi Brown) but with more control over it. It says full coverage but it's pretty build-able so you can use it how you want. Sometimes I layer it over the gel foundation for days when my skin is really acting up.

Omega Bronze. The compact is almost the size of my face, so although it's a hefty price tag, you won't run out any time soon. It's a completely matte formula and great for contouring or adding warmth.

Magic Marc'er Waterproof Eyeliner. Again, I've raved about this in a few posts but one of the best liquid eyeliners out there with great staying powder. Love love love.

ReMarcable Full Coverage Concealer. This isn't the most full coverage concealer I've tried, but the formula is incredibly creamy. It brightens my undereyes but can be prone to creasing.

I recently read Nev Schulman, the host of Catfish's, book In Real Life: Love, Lies, and Identity in the Digital Age. I've been a big fan of the show since the beginning and always found Nev adorable. The book expands on the idea of the show but really makes you reflect on how much you use social media  and how it impacts your life. It gives you a nice glimpse into Nev's life as well, and is easy to breeze through. It's a change up from the books I normally read but I recommend it for a quick read. 

Charlotte Tilbury: My New Favorite Makeup Brand

Pretty sure I opened a Pandora's Box by delving into the Charlotte Tilbury collection, but I knew this would happen. I have been eagerly anticipating the brand's launch in the USA and am extremely pleased with the results. I was able to land the Filmstar Bronze & Glow and Powder & Sculpt Brush as a gift set from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (check out my review here). I purchased all of my items from Nordstrom, but they are also available directly through the Net-a-Porter website and Charlotte Tilbury's site. I apologize for the lack of swatches as I wanted to get this post up as soon as possible and have had a crazy week!

1. Dolce Vita Palette. Wow these are some gorgeous colors. I opted to go with the warm, bronze toned palette as I feel it's best for fall. Each shadow is gorgeous and buttery, and they blend well together (I've heard some reviews that even say this is better than the Tom Ford palettes). I also have my eye on the purple toned Glamor Muse palette but these are a ridiculous splurge so that may have to go on the holiday wish list.
2. First Love Blush. It was incredibly hard to pick which blush I wanted from the line, as they all seem amazing, but I decided to go with the most natural one. This gives a peachy warm flush to your cheeks, and again is a finely milled texture. It didn't emphasize pores, and I like the large mirror in the compact. I have my eye on Love Glow and Sex is on Fire.
3. Color Chameleon Pencil in Amethyst Aphrodisiac and Amber Haze. These eyeshadow pencils are designed to compliment specific eye colors (amber haze is for my brown eyes), but I also decided to pick up the purple one (meant for green eyes) because I felt like breaking the rules. I'm not normally one for cream shadow sticks, but these have turned me on to them. They blend well, last well, and are pretty shimmery--which I'm a huge fan of but is something to be cautious of.
4. Kissing Lipstick in Stoned Rose. I couldn't resist the lipsticks, and of course I picked up a pinky-brown nude that's a MLBB. I love the old fashioned gold compact, and the formula is moisturizing and lasts a few hours. I'm still waiting for Bitch Perfect, a coral shade, that was on backorder.

Well I'm addicted. I just want all of it. Each product performed incredibly well and was worth the value. This is a brand worth saving your pennies for and should certainly be added to your holiday list. Have you tried anything from Charlotte Tilbury? What products are your favorite?

Speaking of holidays (it's never too early), Sephora has released a first look at some holiday gift sets and Beautezine gives you the scoop on a few of them. Keep in mind this is a Canadian magazine, so prices are in Canadian dollars and will be lower in the USA.

The Lightweight Base Round-Up

There are days when my skin is freaking out and needs some heavier coverage, but there are also times when it's feeling alright and just needs a little something extra. As I've mentioned many times, covering redness is a main concern of mine. I love tinted moisturizers/BB creams because they're providing skincare benefits while still helping out your problem spots. It still looks like your skin though and looking cakey is never an issue. Here are the five I love and have in constant rotation for days I don't want to fuss around.

1. Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream in 53 (I got mine on ASOS originally but it seems to have sold out so do some digging on Amazon or Ebay). I love the Bourjois brand and long when it is readily accessible in the USA. CC Creams kind of confuse me but I like this because it offers a decent amount of coverage and fulfills its promise of color correcting redness. It's very hydrating and also offers SPF.
2. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Nude. If you're looking for a tinted moisturizer, this cult classic should be first on your list. It has a great color range, and adds moisture with just a hint of color. This is incredibly lightweight and is perfect for slapping on with your fingers when you don't want to spend a ton of time on your look. I like pairing this with the brand's radiance primer--check out my post on that here.
3. Estee Lauder BB Glow in Shade 2. This is probably the "heaviest" coverage of the bunch and feels slightly more like a foundation than BB creme, but it's still in no way heavy at all. It gives a glow as promised and helps perk up tired or dull looking skin. Sometimes BB creams that offer a glow can make you look oily but I never feel shiny with this-- add some powder if you are concerned though.
4. Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer in Nude. To be perfectly honest, this is not worth the high price tag but I had a #feelingspendy moment in San Francisco. It is a great tinted moisturizer, maybe slightly higher coverage than the Laura Mercier one, but it's also a thicker texture. I don't regret buying it and it blends like a dream, but it opened my eyes to the extremely expensive Chantecaille brand (I tried a foundation that was $80 and would never spend that much, though it was nice).
5. Diorskin Nude BB Cream in Fair. Of the bunch, this is the most BB cream like in texture and coverage. It "smooths, protects, and corrects" while making me glow, plus I love the pump packaging. I was able to make this shade work for me, though it leans a tad too yellow (although that's great for covering redness), but those with pink undertones may have trouble finding a shade that works for them (there are only 4).

L-R: Bourjois, Laura Mercier, Estee Lauder, Chantecaille, Dior

For some reason, the Estee Lauder and Chantecaille ones are swatching really pink but that's just the lighting, they're more neutral toned, sorry!

It took me a week to finish Bob's Burgers and now I just want all my other shows to return! Mindy Project is the only one coming back this week (Tuesday) and then things kick into full gear next week, right in time for my two exams! I'm just waiting for two more Charlotte Tilbury items to come before I do my big review/round-up, so look for that Wed. or Thurs. Let me tell you I am already obsessed with the line and it may just be my overall new favorite brand.

September Beauty Wish List

So many products, such little cash flow. I love playing with new things, so I'm constantly looking to try new products. Here are a few things that have caught my eye that I haven't closed the deal on yet, but hope to at some point soon.

1. Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial. Pretty much anything with the word facial automatically sells me, but every beauty blogger has been raving about this new product. You literally rinse it in for a minute to rejuvenate skin. I have a couple of these exfoliating treatments but have never tried anything from this brand, so I'm intrigued.
2. Dior Addict Lipstick in Model. This lipstick is not new, but ViviannaDoesMakeup raves about it and I always trust her. I have other Dior products I love but I've never tried a lipstick, and this pinky nude shade seems exactly up my ally.
3. Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation. I can't stop raving about Charlotte Tilbury and I am so excited she has launched her line in the USA. I ordered a few things from Nordstrom that should be coming any day (and a review will follow), but I'm a sucker for a dewy, lightweight foundation that gives medium coverage. I don't need any of the youth-boosting qualities yet but canceling redness and evening out large pores are always plusses.
4. Charlotte Tilbury Color Coded Eyeshadow Palette in The Glamour Muse. Everyone also raves about the eyeshadows, so I want to see what the hype is all about. This one features two nude colors and two purple colors, which I own slightly less of than nude/brown shades. The bottom left purple shade is just begging to be blended into my crease.
5. Clinique A Black Honey Affair Eyeshadow Palette . This one is similar to the Charlotte Tilbury one, but has more colors for a cheaper price (but let's be real I'll probably get the Charlotte Tilbury one over this). This combines my purple and nude eyeshadow loves, and can create day or night looks. I've never tried Clinique eyeshadows but love their new Chubby Sticks for cheeks.

My beauty wish list is always growing, so I'll probably make this a monthly thing and update you if I purchased any of these. What do you have your eye on? Let me know!

Since most shows still don't come back for a week or two, I've taken to watching Bob's Burgers. It has a much more sarcastic and lovable humor than Family Guy or The Simpsons, which I liked but could never really get into. I'm already on season 3 of Bob's Burgers and it's great to watch at the end of a busy day or watch when I'm getting ready as I don't have to devote my full attention to following the plot. 

A Fresh Faced Primer/Foundation Duo

I'm kind of a foundation junkie. I love all the ones I have but they work well for different things. I have dry/combination skin and my main concern with foundation is covering up redness. Laura Mercier recently introduced the Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation and I'm a huge fan of the tinted moisturizer, so I wanted to try something with a bit more coverage. I also picked up the Radiance Foundation Primer which I had a sample of a while back and felt very c'est-la-vieish if that's a thing cause it is now.

As you can see the primer is really dewy and gives a nice glow (it does sheer out and becomes colorless on the skin). It's not the absolute best for making foundation last but it does prolong wear more than most. Since I have drier skin, I always love to make my foundations appear dewy and fresh faced so this is a winner in my book.

I also love the foundation more than I thought I would. It's light to medium coverage, and has a really thin runny texture that applies better than you think it does. I'm the shade Cashew, which is for light skin with slightly warm/neutral undertones. This isn't too dewy or matte, so I do like adding the primer to give a bit more dewiness but it sets down well. You have to shake it every time so that the mixture of water and foundation serum thingy can blend together, and sometimes it seeps out, so the packing is slightly annoying but I got over it.

I caved and bought a few Charlotte Tilbury items from Nordstrom today, so expect to see a review of those as soon as they come. I'm also expecting a package from Asos any day now with a few Bourjois and UK-exclusive Rimmel items. Those will be reviewed too! Lots of excitement and new things to come wooooo.

Bobbi Brown Smoky Nudes Eye Palette

Okay so this eyeshadow palette is ridiculously expensive. I didn't need it but it was too gorgeous to say no to. The Bobbi Brown Smoky Nudes Eye Palette contains eight shades with a variety of cream, matte, and shimmer finishes. Kate Upton is this fall's model for the collection, and I find her absolutely gorgeous. First of all, I'm a huge fan of the design. It's about the size of a shimmer brick, and the two tier level works well.

Most of these colors are different from what I have in my collection-- I tend to go for nude colors but these are smokier with purple and pink hues which are my favorite. The shimmers are incredible because they are so gorgeous and buttery without too much fallout, and all of them blend well together. It's expensive but worth it, so I recommend it if you have the cash to spare. 

Teaser Trailers for American Horror Story: Freak Show were released and they are everything I want and more. I'm going through serious withdrawal but it comes back a month from today! Also, an alternate ending for How I Met Your Mother was just released--I don't think I really liked it and am glad they stayed the way things did. What do you think?

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes Review

These babies have been out for quite some time, and I actually picked up my first one in March, but now that I own four maybe it's time to rave about them. Hourglass itself is such a fabulous brand--besides these, I own the Ambient Lighting Palette (easily one of my best purchases to date), the Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Rose, and the Hidden Corrective Concealer (another much raved about purchase). However, if you couldn't tell from the title, this post focuses on reviewing the Ambient Lighting Blushes.

Luminous Flush and Diffused Heat

Dim Infusion and Mood Exposure

As you can see, the blushes themselves are gorgeous because they combine a pop of color with one of the brand's famous highlighting powders. All of these blushes are finely milled with sturdy packaging, which are always plusses in my book. They aren't completely matte nor shimmery but deliver a fine, healthy glow to your cheeks. It doesn't emphasize pores, which is always a problem I have.

Luminous Flush is a "champagne rose" and doesn't apply nearly as pink as it seems. Diffused Heat is a "vibrant poppy" and the most pigmented of the bunch, so use a lighter hand with this one. My two favorites and the more natural of the bunch are Dim Infusion, a "subdued coral" and Mood Exposure, a "soft plum". 

Although these are infused with Ambient Lighting powders, color is the stronger focus so they're especially gorgeous when you add a highlight to them. Each blush has a unique pattern as they are baked in Italy, so no two are alike! Which one is your favorite?

L-R: Dim Infusion, Mood Exposure, Luminous Flush, Diffused Heat

I survived my second week of school woo! It was incredibly hot this week so I am wholeheartedly ready to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall. I also read the book Virgins by Radika Sanghai and I loved it. It's about a 21 year old girl at university, ashamed she's still a virgin, but it's more just an adorable coming of age story. Ellie, the main character, was relatable, sarcastic, and even starts a blog! Go check it out.

A Self Tanner I Actually Like?

I do not have a good record with self-tanning products. I tried the Jergen's cream, which left my hands all streaky and didn't look natural on me. I tried the L'Oreal towelettes which were just a disaster. I've never actually been tanning or gotten a spray tan because it's really not worth it to me. I don't spend a lot of time outside so I've just learned to accept my usually-the-second-lightest-foundation-shade skin tone. All that changed when my friend Joanna, who's already naturally tan, introduced me to this product.

I've never heard of the brand Mina Organics but she picked this up at Bed Bath & Beyond (if yours has a Harmon section) and it was only $10 so I figured why not. I found it on Amazon here. It's a few dollars more but if you can't find it anywhere else, it's still an affordable price. This is more of a lotion texture, and what I love is that it's half bronzing serum and half moisturizer. This insures that you don't get too unnaturally orange and makes it more of a tinted moisturizer for the body.

I've found that the best way to apply it is on a foam puff (again, picked this up from Bed Bath & Beyond for a couple of bucks). This helps make for less streaky application and prevents the dreaded self-tan hands. I've used this three times since I've bought it and I'm in love. It create such a natural glow that I look like I actually have a slight tan!  I'm not streaky or orange and it seems to last pretty long. Applying it right after the shower seems to be the best as it will absorb better into wet skin and give that added moisturizing benefit.

I've never tried any St. Tropez products but this feels like it might be a dupe for something! Any other self tanning products I should be on the look out for? Let me know!

August Favorites

I know everyone's saying it, but how is August already over? This was my first summer on my own and it went by so so quickly. Fall is my favorite season so I'm excited that time is soon upon us. School is already back in session and although I have a million things I'm doing, I don't want to let this blog die! And I'm always trying new things so here's what I've been loving this month.

1. Clinique Chubby Stick in Amped Up Apple and Robust Rhubarb. I saw these when they first launched and wasn't too impressed. Once all my favorite bloggers started raving about them, I figured I should see what they hype was about. I'm glad I decided to reconsider because I love these. They're incredible easy to apply, and give a creamy glow without looking too clownish. I was concerned about the colors being really pigmented but they sheer out once you put them on.

2. MAC Electric Cool Eyeshadow in Love Power. I don't really own any individual MAC eyeshadows, because I think they're kind of expensive for single shadows. I love these limited edition shadows though. They're a cool cream to powder texture, and I really like the spongy texture. This light pink shade is right up my alley but I also just ordered the taupe shade.

3. Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in Black Noir, Black Tulip, and Glittery Black. You all know about my love for the Marc Jacobs Eyelieners but I have discovered ones that are just as good. These are even more creamy, though they don't last as long. I really like them for lining the upper lid when I don't feel like using liquid eyeliner. I wish they were self sharpening though.

4. Daniel Sandler Watercolour Fluid Blusher in Cherub. Essiebutton is a huge fan of these, so I figured I would check them out. It's kind of an interesting concept--it's a liquid blush that you shake up and it dries down to a creamy finish that settles like powder. It's a tiny bottle but you really only need a couple of drops as they are pigmented. I picked up Cherub because the pinky rose glow seemed the most up my ally. 

5. Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum. This serum claims to fix all of your skin care problems and deliver targeted repair. I was a bit skeptical, which is why I first got a deluxe sample at Sephora. I love this stuff. I've noticed that my skin is less dry and has less bumps, so I shelled out for a full size bottle because it's worth it. I've had this little guy for about a month and am still finishing that one first.

6. The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil Body Lotion. Normally I don't really care about lotion as long as it smells good but I've recently been loving this one from The Body Shop. Besides smelling good from the argan oil, it's incredibly moisturizing and super cheap for this big bottle! I also love the body butter version of this scent.

Music: Golden Touch by Razorlight, The Girl by City and Colour, Victoria by The Kooks

Books: I read a couple of great mysteries this month-- check out The Good Girl by Mary Kubica and Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. For a fun read, I recommend Your Perfect Life by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steineke.

What did you love this month? Let me know!